Background
James Wormley’s remarkable life as a prominent 19th
century entrepreneur in the nation’s capital began on January 16, 1819
in a small, two-room, brick building located on E Street near 14th
in Washington, DC. Wormley was born free. His parents had come from
southern Virginia in 1814. From his first job with the family’s
hackney carriage business (started by his father, Peter Leigh Wormley),
young James leaned skills and virtues of hard work which enabled him to
rise to fame and leadership at Washington’s center stage during the
Reconstruction era. Wormley’s travels and adventures – from gold mining
in California, to the Court of St. James (London) to haute
cuisine kitchens in Paris – propelled him to an intersection with
destiny in 1877, immortalizing his name in U.S. history with the Wormley
Agreement.

The Wormley Hotel
In 1871, following successful ownership of a restaurant, Wormley
purchased a hotel at the southwest corner of 15th and H
Streets NW, hear the White House (with help from U.S. Representative
Samuel J. Hooper (R-MA)). The Wormley Hotel quickly became a favorite
for Washington’s rich and famous, attracted by "well-managed
rooms," renowned cuisine (turtle soup and seafood hauled in daily
from the Chesapeake Bay) and amenities such as the first hotel elevator
(later first hotel telephone) in the city. Wormley had learned his
finely tuned service skills through stints as a steward (Metropolitan
Club) and caterer.

During the drawn-out, disputed Election of
1876, Wormley’s Hotel
became the venue for the secret meetings between emissaries from the
Hayes and Tilden camps which culminated on February 26, 1877 in the
Wormley Agreement which settled the stalemate in favor of Hayes.

The so-called "bargain" comprised a series of political
trades, the most important of which led to the withdrawal of federal
troops from three contested states (Florida, South Carolina, Louisiana)
and a tilt by southern Democrats for Rutherford B. Hayes (R) in exchange
for "control of their states affairs," signaling the end of
the Reconstruction era.

Beyond Cynicism to Role Model
Wormley continued to operate his hotel after it was written into
history. He also expanded his activities, purchasing other properties,
registering patents and inspiring his community by example. Wormley’s
friendship with politicians and city business leaders, including U.S.
Senator Charles Sumner (R-MA), made him an effective activist for black
public education.

The first taxpayer-formed Negro school in the District of Columbia
resulted from a resolution Wormley authored with help from congressional
friends. Wormley died in Boston on October 18, 1884 after an operation
for kidney stones at Massachusetts General Hospital.

At this juncture of American history, with diversity and family
virtues under pressure, James Wormley’s decency, honesty and
humanitarianism inspire. As a family man whose four children became
college-educated and nurtured larger families of extremely productive
citizens, Wormley’s role as a strong father and model for fundamental
values against a backdrop of adversity cannot be overstated. His
lion-like character shines like a beacon from one of our nation’s
bleakest periods of cynical betrayal. Wormley’s enlightened
entrepreneurship and activist citizenship serves as a reminder that hard
work and character can build a strong foundation for generations.

Recent Developments
The newly established JWRP successfully conducted a series of
memorial events honoring Wormley on February 26, 2001 (anniversary of
Wormley Agreement) at the American Bar Association (ABA) and the Charles
Sumner School and Museum, and the Old Ebbitt Grill (once owned by
Charles E. Gibbs, who later purchased the Wormley Hotel in 1893).

WORMLEY REMEMBERED - Freida Wormley reads lobby poster in the American
Bar Association building with ABA's Robert Evans (right) and Nick Hollis
(left) of ABC.

ABC president Nick Hollis and Mrs. Frieda Wormley addressed a packed
conference at the ABA which sparked interest in the national media (see
David Shribman’s article in The Boston Globe, 2/27/01,
p.A3). The ABA Washington office stands on the exact site of the old
Wormley Hotel! A number of businesses in the neighborhood, including
First Union Bank NA and Clyde’s Restaurants provided support.

Links with Black Education
On July 21, 1871 James Wormley’s resolution for black education led
to the creation of the Wormley School in Georgetown at 34th
and Prospect Streets (now owned by Georgetown University). As an early
activist for publicly-support Negro education in the United States,
James Wormley merits more recognition. Similarly, the Wormley School,
like the Charles Sumner School, deserves to be renovated and preserved
for future generations in symbolic recognition of Wormley’s sacrifices
and crusades for a better America through inspired leadership and
community action.

Objectives/Aims
The James Wormley Recognition Project (JWRP) provides a framework and
a platform to chronicle and memorialize Wormley’s contributions to the
nation’s history, his intersection with destiny (Wormley Agreement),
and related issues of Reconstruction and reconciliation (i.e., black
education/suffrage). Programs are blended with ongoing efforts of other
ABC-sponsored projects aimed at stimulating discussion/good
citizenship/civic interest among young people as the program/lecture
series is nonpartisan in nature.

Expectations
The Wormley project is generating positive insights and inspiration
for individuals and institutions interested in elevating the legacy of
James Wormley during the aftermath of the contested Election 2000.

Method of Operation
The James Wormley Recognition Project (WJRP) is achieving its
objectives through a lecture series, research and memoranda/report
circulation focused on the issues, life and times of Wormley with links
to the present. Research will be coordinated with D.C. Public Schools,
universities and leading Wormley scholars where Wormley’s life is
still remembered – and celebrated. The program is supervised by a
trained historian with advanced degree education and public policy
experience.

Supporters
The JWRP enlists financial and research support from individuals,
foundations, businesses and other institutions known to be interested in
James Wormley and/or promoting entrepreneurial skills, family values and
community action/education he espoused. Partial support for this
web site and educational outreach to inner city youth has been provided
through a grant from the Humanities Council of Washington, DC.